CT scans of the mummy show this is a well preserved adult
male. There is a cut in the left side of the body where all
the internal organs, except the heart, were removed. The heart was
left in place because it was believed to be the centre of
intelligence and feeling, and needed in the afterlife. The removed
organs were dehydrated in Natron, a natural salt, before being
wrapped and returned to the body. The body was also dried in
Natron, and stuffed with fabric to make it look life-like before
being ceremonially wrapped.
Condition of the linen wrappings
Most of the wrapping fabrics are in strips, wound around the
individual limbs first, and then the whole body. Folded shrouds are
placed across the body at the chest. At the time of mummification
the shrouds would have been wrapped around the body and held in
place with linen ties. The ties no longer exist on this
mummy, but there is a section of narrow twisted fabric at the foot
that could be remnants of one. This wrapping method and
mummification process helps to date this mummy to the
21st Dynasty (3rd Intermediate Period).
The mummy
was placed on a stitching table, so the wrappings can be conserved
underneath.
The textile wrappings and shrouds are all made of linen. Most of
the fabrics that can be seen are a plain weave. Some are rough and
coarse, and traditionally these fabrics were used for wrapping the
limbs and the padding. The shrouds at the chest area are a finer
weave. There are blue coloured stripes on some of the shrouds, and
these will be analysed in the future to see what type of dye was
used to colour the linen.
An interesting discovery was made during examination and
analysis of the wrappings. There is a fabric on the head of the
mummy that is different to all the rest. Weave analysis and
research has shown that it is an early form of mending used for
weak spots in linen. This supports the theory that mummy wrappings
were often made from used clothing or textiles.
Treatment of the textile wrappings
The linen wrappings are fragile and weak. The most fragile are
at the sides of the chest, and at the head and feet. These were now
quite loose, with areas of damage in the form of breakage and loss.
This could be the result of damage in antiquity, when the wrappings
would have been disturbed as people tried to see what was inside
them. Many of the wrappings were creased and no longer in the
correct alignment, and some fragments were no longer attached.
Above: Lynn McClean surface cleaning the
linen wrappings.
The wrappings were carefully surface cleaned using low powered
vacuum suction to remove particulate dust. The creases in the
fibres were eased out by relaxing them using the controlled
introduction of moisture through a porous membrane called
Gore-tex™. Care was taken by the use of barrier layers to ensure
that only the individual wrapping being worked on was affected by
the moisture.
The loose wrappings were then put back in the correct alignment.
Those on the underside of the body were assessed and treated
working on a stitching table, which enabled access to the underside
of the mummy for the first time. The correct location for the loose
pieces was determined by looking at the weave structure and lining
up the edges.
The wrappings were then secured in place so that they would not
suffer further damage in the future. The textiles were too fragile
to stitch through, and it is one of the principles of modern
conservation to stabilise the object with as little interference as
possible, and to make it reversible wherever possible. For this
reason the chosen treatment was to ‘wrap’ the mummy in nylon net,
dyed to be virtually invisible. This held all the linen wrappings
closely to the body, and stitching the net to itself avoided any
working through the original fibres.
Above: The mummy after conservation.
Once completed, the mummy was replaced in the conserved
coffin.